Process for the generation of gaseous fuel containing carbon-monoxide



3,066,019 Patented Nov. 27, 1962 3,066,019 PROCESS FOR TI-IE GENERA'IEQN 6F GASEUUS FUEL CQNTAINENG CARBUN-MGNQXEDE Hans-Dieter Textor, 9S Linderstrasse, Dusseldorf, Germany N Drawing. Filed Mar. 17, 1960, Ser. No. 15,554 Claims priority, application Germany Mar. 17, 1959 9 Ciaims. (Cl. 48203) My co-pending application Serial No. 696,182, filed November 13, 1957, and now abandoned, relates to a process for the generation of gaseous fuel by means of gasification of coke or coal, wherein air (oxygen) is passed through a live coke bed with such a high rate of flow that substantially only carbon-monoxide is obtained. This carbon-monoxide is drawn off from the coke bed immediately after its formation. In accordance with my co-pending application Serial No. 696,182 the coke bed consists of densely packed granular coke with a grain diameter below 10 mm. and is retained by means such as a heat-resisting net allowing access of the gasifying medium and the exit of the gaseous fuel. Instead of coke or in addition to it, ordinary coal of corresponding grain and packing may be used.

In accordance with the above-identified application, the flow velocity of the air through the incandescent bed should be from about 100 to 500 meters per second. This allows 2 to tons of gas to be processed per square meter of grate area per hour.

In operation granulated coal dust having a size less than millimeters is sent through an intake duct into a charging zone. The granular coal is forced into the charging zone with suflicient force to produce a packed bed having a high density. The coal is ignited in the reaction zone and maintained in an incandescent state. Air is fed into the generator through air intake ducts, the air passing through the reaction zone at a high velocity and oxidizing the carbon contained in the coal to carbon monoxide. Because of the high Velocity of the gas flow, the carbon monoxide so produced is forced out of the reaction zone through discharge tubes before it can be further oxidized to carbon dioxide. In order to prevent the coal from being forced out of the generator with the gaseous products, a mechanical screening means is affixed to the mouth of each discharge tube. The screening means is preferably composed of a porous, heat-resistant material. Among the types which may be used are a fine-meshed wire cloth, ceramic grids, and porous metal plates. The non-gaseous products of the reaction form a slag which settles to the bottom of the generator and is carried away by a discharge duct. The granular coal is continuously fed to the charging zone at a rate sufficient to keep the combustion reaction within the reaction zone, and with a sufficient force to maintain a densely packed bed in the generator.

By a thorough examination of the reaction mechanism I have found that the gasification described in my eepending application may also be carried out with all kinds of solid substances consisting to a considerable part of carbon, if these substances are used with the corresponding grain size of less than 10 millimeters. The invention has proved useful to make use of residuals which are obtained with the gasification of oil, so called oil coke.

With the \gasification of oil, oil or petrol is heated to 700 to 1000 degrees centigrade. A dissolution into gas, tar and carbon is obtained thereby. By this way the heavy hydrocarbons are thus transformed into volatile products. The solid residuals consisting of tar and carbon (soot) can be gasified in accordance with the process of application Serial No. 696,182 to carbon monoxide.

Other substances such as wood-dust (saw dust) may be used.

Invention is claimed as follows:

1. A process for the production of carbon monoxide gas which comprises passing a gas containing free oxygen through an incandescent carbonaceous bed reaction zone at a flow velocity of from about to about 500 meters per second to form carbon monoxide gas, and immediately withdrawing the carbon monoxide gas so formed from the carbonaceous reaction zone before it is further oxidized, wherein said carbonaceous bed consists essentially of fine granular particles less than 10 millimeters in size packed together to a high density.

2. A process according to claim 1 wherein said oxygen-containing gas is air.

3. A process according to claim 1 wherein said carbonaceous bed consists essentially of coal particles.

4. A process according to claim 1 wherein said oxygen-containing gas additionally contains steam in amounts from about 20 to about 40 percent by weight.

5. A process according to claim 1 wherein the granular particles of said bed are retained in place by mechanical screening means.

6. A process according to claim 5 wherein said screening means is a porous metal plate.

7. A process according to claim 1 in which the granular particles are coal coke.

8. A process in accordance with claim 1, and further characterized in that said granular particles consist of residuals obtained with the lgasification of oil.

9. A process in accordance with claim 1, and further characterized in that said granular particles consist of Wood dust.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 840,461 Adams et a1. Jan. 8, 1907 2,625,465 Dresser et al. Jan. 13, 1953 2,737,448 Cunningham et a1. Mar. 6, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 326,227 Great Britain Mar. 3, 1930 

1. A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CARBON MONOXIDE GAS WHICH COMPRISES PASSING A GAS CONTAINING FREE OXYGEN THROUGH AN INCANDESCENT CARBONACEOUS BED REACTION ZONE AT A FLOW VELOCITY OF FROM ABOUT 100 TO ABOUT 500 METERS PER SECOND TO FORM CARBON MONOXIDE GAS, AND IMMEDIATELY WITHDRAWING THE CARBON MONOXIDE GAS SO FORMED FROM THE CARBONACEOUS REACTION ZONE BEFORE IT IS FURTHER OXIDIZED, WHEREIN SAID CARBONACEOUS BED CONSISTS ESSENTIALLY OF FINE GRANULAR PARTICLES LESS THAN 10 MILLIMETERS IN SIZE PACKED TOGETHER TO A HIGH DENSITY DENSITY. 